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Friday, December 19, 2008

Dear you who have been keeping up with all my doctors visits and procedures,

In the past year I have spent countless hours in waiting rooms, hundreds of dollars on office visits and prescriptions, and given gallons of blood. I have seen 3 doctors, had 1 ultrasound, 2 upper GI, 2 HIDA scans, and an abdominal CT scan. 2 doctors saying they swear its my gallbladder the other who probably did but didnt speak very good English. I was treated for an ulcer found in one of the upper GI's, which healed, but the pain in my abdomen is still bad, and at its worst.
When my Primary Care Doctor said she didnt know what else to do she sent me to her personal Gastrointerologist ( one of the 3 Doc I have seen) he said I was classic gallbladder. Something my Mom and sister have been telling me for 2 years now. He said he didnt know what else to do, but if I wanted to have some more tests, he could let me have another HIDA scan (gallbladder) done with his people there at the Fayetteville hospital. I said sure why not . So I underwent my second HIDA scan which was much more different than the first one. This one re-created my pains. Tests come back - gallbladder 87% functioning. They wont take it out unless it is about half that. Yay ... great. I see the Gastro. Doc again a month later, no change in my pain. He says he has only seen it once in 15 years that the tests came back negative like mine and the lady came to him in tears because when she had her Scan it was the same pain she had been experiencing. He was able to convince the surgeons to take hers out, and sure enough it was faulty. I said well I was born (seriously) abnormally, so he could count me his second case. He told me to get in touch with his favorite surgeons, and that he would do his part in talking with them. He also ordered a more current Upper GI because he knew the surgeons would want one.
In the past week I have had nausea, diarrhea, and have lost 6 pounds. Yesterday I had that second upper GI and they found that I had food still in my belly after 13-14 hours since my last meal, and at that it wasnt much more than a few tablespoons of party food and a small slice of key lime pie. Being sick I have had pretty much nothing to eat all week anyways. So they thought that was pretty weird. It actually happens though and it is called Gastroparesis. Yay... more digestive issues! All for a person who LOVES to eat. So I am suppose to eat 6-8 small meals a day instead of 3 like normal people. Side effects... nausea, bloating, nagging abdominal pain, excessive belching, feeling of fullness after only a few bites, weight loss ( the best one yet). Then I get to go see that Doc in a few months for a check up. In the mean time He still wants me to talk to those surgeons about my gallbladder. So I get to go spend some more time and money in another doctors office in January.
Things really do start falling apart when you hit 30!
I will keep you all updated as to whether or not I can convince these surgeons to take out this blasted gallbladder. Untill then, happy eating for you. I will stick to my 6 small, bland, sometimes liquid meals. Lucky you! Eat some greasy pizza for me, ya hear?